The AR-15 is, hands down, the most popular weapons platform in the US. America has manufactured 24 million of them in the past 30 years, and rifle manufacturers have earned a cool $1 billion from them just in the past decade.
The AR-15 is highly reliable, which is good news since a soldier is only as good as his weapon. But the weapon’s only part of the story.
A weapon, you could say, is only as good as its accessories. Which rifle accessories are a must-have on your gun, whether it’s your first rifle or an AR-15 you’ve had for years?
Let’s take a look at eight firearm accessories critical to your AR-15 setup.
1. New Pistol Grip
The AR-15 already comes with a baseline A2 grip, which for most feels somewhat flimsy and cheap. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to swap out the grip for a better one, particularly one that’s more ergonomic.
There are plenty of aftermarket options that are sturdier, made from lighter materials, and offer a better grip pattern. In addition to this, they may include nifty features such as storage space inside the grip well. It will come in handy to keep an extra bolt on hand.
2. New Butt Stock
Chances are the butt stock on your rifle is also a cheap piece of factory-molded plastic or polymer. Same as before, you can get one that’s much higher quality on the aftermarket and that comes with extra features.
The most popular feature, which you will likely want to get your hands on, is a collapsible stock. A good stock will also cut down on weight and offer a comfortable cheek weld to rest your face on.
If you want something even more compact, you can get a folding stock. This folds shut horizontally along the rifle’s body, compacting it for storage by at least 6 inches.
3. Foregrip
The front of a stock black rifle will have you holding the gun by the handguard. This is fine, but many people prefer to have some type of foregrip. A foregrip attaches to a rail system to give you a tighter, more versatile hold.
The most common type of foregrip is the vertical grip, known as the “beer can” hold. There are also stub grips and other types like the c-clamp for greater accuracy. Angled grips are also popular for precision shooting, so it pays to Find the Perfect Angled Foregrip.
4. Fire Selector
The fire selector is the switch on your rifle that changes from “safety” to “semi-automatic.” For military rifles, it also allows you to select fully automatic mode. As you may have guessed by now, you can replace virtually every part of the rifle to taste, including this.
Most people change their fire selectors for a better grip and improved aesthetics. Most stock fire selectors can be somewhat rigid and don’t give as much tactile response. A new selector allows you to have a weighty feel and click to change your fire mode.
A good portion of the firearm community really only cares about the looks here. If you want to trick out your rifle, you probably will enjoy an anodized and colored selector.
5. Rail Mounting System
We mentioned this component when discussing foregrips. This is likely the most common and popular change to make to a black rifle. Quality rifles come with rail systems by default.
A rail system offers four – and sometimes more – horizontal and vertical rail mounting positions. This is where you put your scope, your grips, as well as flashlights and laser indicators. A good rail system also helps to dissipate heat and serve as a quality forward grip.
6. Sling Mount
A black rifle might not seem heavy when you first pick it up, but it will a few hours later. This is especially true at the range when you’re shouldering it for long stretches and trying to keep close groupings. Rather than setting it down on a dusty range table, get yourself a sling.
A quality sling mount makes it easy to snap on and off your sling of choice. It may also include a chest peg to nock the rifle on your tactical vest.
Some slings will bolt into your rifle and replace the stock sling holder if there is one. Otherwise, it comes in the form of a rail attachment with a tightening screw. Other versions replace the end plate on your black rifle.
7. Rifle Optics
Of course, no rifle would be complete without a decent set of optics. Most people stick with the stock sight or a compact flip-up sight – but that’s only the beginning!
The sight you choose will depend on the type of shooting you intend to do. Longer-range sharp shooting will likely benefit from a 2x-4x zoom optic. Consider upgrading to a red dot or holographic sight for easier aiming, even in low-light and shadowy conditions. If you plan on doing hunting or very long-range shooting, then you will want a sniper sight.
Make sure you get a high-quality sight that matches the aesthetic of your rifle. Non-reflective glass coatings and built-in covers are a must. You can also get risers to have multiple sights on the same rail, or to better zero your weapon.
If you really want to have some fun, then you can get flashlight attachments and laser pointers. Things like 45-degree offset sights that let you change your sight by twisting the rifle prove how complex the sights alone can be!
8. Suppressor
A word on suppressors: they won’t make your gun silent, despite what happens in movies. What they will do, however, is cut down the noise profile of your rifle. As an added bonus, suppressors increase bullet velocity and thus accuracy and stopping power.
This is great news for your ears when shooting at the range. Plus, there’s no denying a suppressor looks cool, like you’re on SEAL Team Six.
Find Other AR-15 Rifle Accessories
Rifle accessories are sometimes more fun than just buying and shooting the rifle itself. They allow you to change every aspect of the weapon, from something as small as the selector to the entire rail assembly. Some accessories serve simply for aesthetic purposes, while others can completely change your shooting experience.
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